Ramon Lowe 58 Pontiac

[Paul Ceasrine]

In 1968,

Ramon Lowe was running in G/SA (11.00 to 11.49 Wt/Hp) with the 1958 Pontiac Chieftain.

370/338 HP 'Fuel Injection'

The Pontiac's 'Shipping Weight' was a minimum of #3718 lbs.

Later, in 1969 - the NHRA deemed the 370/338 HP 'Fuel Injection' combination illegal for use on this 1958 Model Pontiac.

Photo from March 1968, at the Hot Rod Magazine Championships, at Riverside International Raceway (California).





In 1969, Ramon Lowe was now running in 'I/SA', with a 58' Pontiac Chieftain and a different HP combination.

1969.....I/SA........( 11.50 - 11.99 Wt/Hp )




And in 1970, classed in 'J/SA'........( 11.50 to 11.99 Wt/Hp )

Chasing the...'J/SA'... NHRA National Record of...........12.90 @ 106.50 MPH

[Paul Ceasrine]

Doc,

Jay Hamilton is running a 1958 Pontiac Bonneville Hardtop 'Sports Coupe' with
a 370/330 HP '3 x 2 Barrel'

Classed in H/SA {11.50 to 11.99 Wt/Hp} .......... {#3825 lbs. ~ 330 HP = 11.59 Wt/Hp}

In 1958, the Bonneville was available as a Hardtop 'Sports Coupe' or 'Convertible'.

The wheelbase was 122".

The body length = 211.7"

Shipping Weight = #3825 lbs.

The key item, is that the 1958 Bonneville's were 'fitted' with the powerful 'Star Chief' engine.

The Bonneville had the 'full -trim' package and exterior side moldings.

Available with;

Standard Engine
* 370 / 255 HP '4-Barrel'
* 370 / 285 HP '4-Barrel'

Factory Option Engine
* 370 / 300 HP '3 x 2 Barrel'
* 370 / 310 HP 'Fuel Injection'

Dealer Installed Option
* 370 / 315 HP '4-Barrel'
* 370 / 330 HP '3 x 2 Barrel'

Over-The-Counter Option
* 370 / 338 HP 'Fuel Injection'

The 'Tri-Power' option was only $100.

The 'Fuel Injection' option was $500

It also featured the 'Strato-Flight Hydra-Matic' 4-Speed Automatic with a 3.97 '1st-Speed' low-gear.

Standard Gear-Ratio's
* 3.23 {3-Speed Manual}
* 3.64 {Automatic}

Optional Gears {Dealer-Installed}
* 3.90
* 4.10

The Bonneville was a beast, and weighed in at 3785 bs.

Photo from March 1968 {Hot Rod Magazine Championships @ Riverside International Raceway}

[Dan Fahey]

Wow. More information please. This is really cool.

What FI did the Pontiac have?
Was the 370 cuin engine later became the 389 and later the 400?

D

[Paul Ceasrine]

Dan,

I'm no expert, but the 370 Block {4.063" Bore x 3.563" Stroke} was a slightly different
animal than the longer-stroked 1959 and later Pontiac engines.

The 'Fuel Injection System' was built by Rochester, and was very problematic
on the street, as well as adding $500 cost to the Dealer Price of the car.

Only 500 or so of the 1958 Pontiac's were produced with the 'Fuel Injection' option.

Despite problems on the 'Street', the guys at the Drag Strip could really 'dial-in' the
'Fuel Injection' unit, and get those 370's to fly.

The 'high-performance' 370 had a 10.5-1 Compression-Ratio, and there were several
Camshaft units available.

Also 'High-Rate' Valve Springs were included with the more radical bumpstick,
as well as 1.65-to-1 Rocker Arms.

Pontiac provided the 'special' Camshafts and they had 'special codes'
*) "886"
*) McKellar #6, #7 and #10

By 1968, these engine combinations were heavily protested by the competition, and in
1969 NHRA deemed several of them as 'illegal options'.

[Rich Biebel]

The Mckellar cams were solid lifter cams......and very radical in a street car.

I had one in my '58 Chieftan for a while but don't recall what number it was...

I also had a complete F.I. unit......

I removed it from a '58 SuperChief 4 dr hdtp......along with the fender emblems......The car was laying in a farmers field in Flemington N.J.

In 1969 or 1970 NHRA no longer allowed combinations that were not available as regular production line available and this knocked out dealer installed optional parts as well as many combos that were really never built at all......engine/trans combinations like hydro's in sedan deliveries.....and 4 speeds in cars that never came with them..just to name a few...

[Paul Ceasrine]

Rich,

I was always confused with those Pontiac Combinations,

As to what combination came from the Factory, what was the Dealer Installed Option, and what came in the 'Trunk'.

Factory Camshaft Applications for the Pontiac 370
Part #521357 -------- .373"/.373" Lift ~ 252*/252" Duration ~ 38* Overlap ~ Code '357'
Part #529472 --------.407"/.411" Lift ~ 273*/282* Duration ~ 55* Overlap ~ Code '472'
Part #522869 --------.406"/.406" Lift ~ 289*/298* Duration ~ 50* Overlap
Part #524886 --------.411"/.411" Lift ~ 283*/293" Duration ~ 60* Overlap ~ Code''886'

The McKellar #6 was introduced in 1958.

The McKellar #7 was introduced in 1960 {.404"/.405 ~ 300"/304* Duration}
The McKellar #10 was introduced in 1961 {.520"/.520" Lift ~ 306*/320* Duration}

The McKellar #7 and #10 Camshafts were 'Solid Lifter' designs, but later a Hydraulic 'design' version was offered.

[Rich Biebel]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Rich,

I was always confused with those Pontiac Combinations,

As to what combination came from the Factory, what was the Dealer Installed Option, and what came in the 'Trunk'.

Factory Camshaft Applications for the Pontiac 370
Part #521357 -------- .373"/.373" Lift ~ 252*/252" Duration ~ 38* Overlap ~ Code '357'
Part #529472 --------.407"/.411" Lift ~ 273*/282* Duration ~ 55* Overlap ~ Code '472'
Part #522869 --------.406"/.406" Lift ~ 289*/298* Duration ~ 50* Overlap
Part #524886 --------.411"/.411" Lift ~ 283*/293" Duration ~ 60* Overlap ~ Code''886'

The McKellar #6 was introduced in 1961.
The McKellar #7 was introduced in 1962 {.414"/.414" ~ 301"/308* Duration}
The McKellar #10 was introduced in 1961 {.520"/.520" Lift ~ 306*/320* Duration}

The McKellar #10 Camshaft was a 'Solid Lifter' design, but later a Hydraulic 'design' version was offered.

All Pontiac std production cams were hydraulics. They never offered a solid on any engine.

They did have a long list of Hi Performance parts that you could order from your local dealer if they were interested in trying to get the parts for you.

It was not always an easy deal.....

They made special exhaust manifolds along with those Mckellar cams and the additional valve train parts like springs and retainers .....

The parts were designated with a T-for trophy......and the first ones I knew about were designated T-395A and fit cars like my '58 Chieftan

Better designed high flow cast iron exhaust manifolds with dual exhaust...

With a Tri-Power and a Mckellar cam and and a set of 4.10's or 4.30's your old Pontiac would run pretty strong.....Mine went in the 14's with an AFB.....and 4.56 gears with a mostly stock exhaust system....4 speed auto...

I tried to get those T-395A manifolds for my '58 but the parts were not available by the mid 60's.....Headers tended to leak and were too noisy to me for a street car.....although when I had 4.56's you could not hear anything but the engine screaming under the hood.....

Later parts for 389's were T-425A designated........

389's ran very well.....and again with a cam and Tri-Power carbs they could put one of those big tanks in the low 14's or quicker as a street car.....

They really needed to be hot rodded a little and they improved a lot....

Do the heads......distributer and carb(s) and add some rear gears of at least 3.90's and some Sunoco 260......

[FED 387]

McKellar was the engineer from Pontiac that created/designed the OHV engine for Pontiac---- he was an authority on the subject of valve train/camshafts etc... Melling provided mamy the hi-po camshafts to GM and they had the "masters"--- Might check with Melling about McKellar cams & specs--FED387

[Paul Ceasrine]

1958 Chieftain

Wheelbase = 122"
Body Length = 210"

The 'Entry Level' Pontiac for 1958